The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) has expressed alarm over the heavy deployment of South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) around the residence of First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, a central figure in the country’s fragile peace agreement.
The 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), signed by President Salva Kiir and Dr. Machar, has faced mounting challenges, particularly in unifying armed groups to form a national army.
President Kiir leads the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), while Dr. Machar heads the SPLM-IO, the main opposition group.
The increased security measures around Dr. Machar’s residence at J1 come in the wake of the arrest of Lt. Gen. Gabriel Duop Lam, a high-ranking official who serves as Co-Chair of the Joint Defence Board (JDB), Deputy Chief of Defence Forces of the SSPDF, and Acting Chief of Staff of the SPLA-IO.
According to SPLM-IO Spokesperson Pal Mai Deng, Gen. Lam was detained on Tuesday morning by Gen. Paul Nang, Chief of Defence Forces of the SSPDF.
The SPLM-IO spokesperson has condemned the arrest as a violation of the revitalized agreement, warning that it undermines the Joint Defence Board, a critical body tasked with overseeing the command and control of all forces under the peace agreement.
The SPLM-IO official has called for Gen. Lam’s immediate release and urged all parties to de-escalate tensions, particularly in light of recent violence in Nasir County, Upper Nile State.
Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), confirmed to Radio Tamazuj that government forces, including the elite Tiger Division, have surrounded Dr. Machar’s residence, blocking all entrances.
Yakani described the situation as deeply troubling, noting that it has sparked public panic and risks derailing the fragile peace process.
Several eyewitnesses have confirmed to Radio Tamazuj a noticeable increase in the number of security forces deployed around the residence of First Vice President Riek Machar in the Amarat neighborhood.
SSPDF Spokesperson Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang could not immediately be reached for comment.
A senior official, speaking to Radio Tamazuj on condition of anonymity, identified the detained SPLM-IO officers as Gen. Gabriel Duop Lam, Lt. Gen. Wesley Welebe, and two others. The arrests are reportedly linked to armed confrontations between the SSPDF and the White Army in Nasir.
The developments come a day after the Presidency convened a high-level meeting to address escalating tensions and insecurity in Nasir, Western Equatoria State, and Western Bahr el Ghazal State.
The meeting included key figures such as First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, Vice President for the Economic Cluster Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel, Vice President for the Service Cluster Josephine Lagu, and leaders of various political parties.